Educational devices

ABSTRACT

Educational devices are disclosed that have stringlike members, each associated with an appropriate unit of a first series and adapted to be passed through any one of a series of holes, each associated with a unit of a second series, thereby to relate appropriate units of the two series together with code means concealed while the members are inserted through the holes and useable while the members are thus attached.

United States Patent Inventors Laurence F. l lowatt 14 Lalayette Terrace, Nahant, Mass. 01908; Charles L. Tilley, 41 Elm St., Saugus, Mass. 01906 Appl. No. 848,143

Filed July 28, 1969 Patented Sept. 14, 1971 2,385,197 9/ 945 E1861 35/1 2,932,908 4/1960 Gough.. 3s/9x 3,070,904 1/1963 Saba 35/9 3,283,417 11/1966 Lohmar.... 35/9 3,349,503 10/1967 Levin 35/8 3,387,391 6/1968 3311010 3s/9x FOREIGN PATENTS 754,314 3/1967 Canada 35/8 Primary ExaminerWm. H. Grieb Att0rneyAbb0tt Spear ABSTRACT: Educational devices are disclosed that have stringlike members, each associated with an appropriate unit of a first series and adapted to be passed through any one of a series of holes, each associated with a unit of a second series, thereby to relate appropriate units of the two series together with code means concealed while the members are inserted through the holes and useable while the members are thus attached.

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EDUCATIONAL DEVICES The present invention relates to educational devices and is herein discussed with particular reference to the teaching of children and is a refiling of our abandoned application, Ser. No. 606,128, filed Dec. 30, I966. By way of example, the correlation of a unit composed of a group with a number that represents the count of that group is a basic skill that is more easily acquired if the problem is presented in a manner that will attract and hold the attention of the children.

The general objective of the invention is to provide devices that will combine such attractiveness with ease of use. In accordance with the invention, each such device is in the form of a sheet having first and second series of related indicia, the units of the second series being arranged at random with respect to those of the first series. The device includes a series of stringlike members disposable to relate the appropriate units of each series.

As the correctness of the correlation of appropriate units is of prime importance, an objective of the invention is to provide code means of various types, including those that increase the child's interest in the problems, to permit corrections to be readily determined. The code means utilize the disposition of the stringlike members and relay, for examples and without limitation, on color matching, the concealment of indicia, or on a disposition of the free ends of the stringlike members that is only possible if they have been correctly employed.

While the devices may be sheets that are sufficiently stiff to be easily used by themselves, they may include holders and, in that case, the sheets may consist of a plurality of separate portions.

Whether the devices are to be single sheets or include holders, it is preferred that the stringlike members be attached, detachable attached if desired, adjacent one series of units, either to the sheet or to the holder therefor, and that there be a series of holes adjacent the other series through appropriate ones of which the stringlike members are to be threaded. When a device includes a holder, the series of holes may also include registering portions in the holder. With this arrangement and with a holder slidably receiving a sheet or sheet portions, the holes in the sheet or sheet portion may be a slot to permit limited relativemovement thereof after the stringlike members have been threaded through its holes. Such limited movement may be used to bring concealed code means into an exposed position.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown embodiments of the invention illustrative of these and other objectives, novel features, and advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the front of a device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a like view of the back thereof;

FIG. 3 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the front of a device in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view of the back thereof;

FIG. 6 is a partly sectioned plan view of the device;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sections taken, respectively, along the indicated lines 7--7 and 8-8 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the front of yet another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a like but partly sectioned view thereof;

FIG. 11 is a view in elevation illustrating a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the front of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a like but partly sectioned view thereof;

FIG. 14 is a view in elevation of the sheet used in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13; and

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the front of a device illustrating yet another embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 1-3, the device consists of a boardlike sheet 20 with two rows or series of indicia, generally indicated at 21 and 22, one adjacent each side. The indicia of the row 21 is shown, by way of example, as units that are groups representing the numerals of the series 22 with each unit of the series 21 being of a particular color differing from that of the others and with the numbers of the series 22 being arranged at random with respect to the units of the series 21.

Stringlike members 23 are attached at one end to the sheet 20, one adjacent each unit of the series 21 and each of these is indicated to be so colored as to mach the appropriate unit. Adjacent each number of the series 22, there is a hole 24 through which the free end of a stringlike member 23 may be threaded and then pulled tight against the front surface of that sheet 20.

On the back surface of the sheet 20, there is a marker 25 for each hole 24, each marker bearing the color matching that of a stringlike member 23 when threaded through the correct hole 24. While this arrangement enables the correctness of the correlation of the units of the two series to be quickly determined by looking at the back of the sheet 20, the back of the sheet 20 is also provided with a series of marks 26 each spaced and located to be engaged by a particular part, the free end, for example, of a stringlike member 23 when correctly threaded through a hole 24 and pulled taut towards the marks 26, the stringlike members differing in length.

In addition, the front face of the sheet 20 is shown as having a series of dots 27, which are arranged so that each is covered by a particular one of the stringlike members 23 when properly disposed to correlate two units. The function of these dots is not apparent to the child.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 48, the sheet 30 is particularly adapted for use with the holder 31 which has, in its front wall 32, a first series of windows 33 adjacent one side edge and a second series of windows 34 adjacent the opposite edge. The holder 31 has a slideway 35 to receive the end sheet 30 with a pivotable gate 36 releasably closing its open end. A series of stringlike members 37 are anchored, at one end to the front wall 32, each adjacent a respective one of the windows 33 and adapted to be threaded through an appropriate one of the holes 38 which extends through the front wall 32 and also the backwall 39, one adjacent each of the windows 34 of the second series.

The sheet 30 includes a first series of indicia generally indicated at 40 with color markers 41 along the adjacent edge, there being a particular color by which each unit of the series 40 is identified. A second series of indicia generally indicated at 42 has its units arranged at random relative to those of the first series and identified by markers 43 of the appropriate color arranged, together with transverse slots 44, on the side of the second series that is towards the first series 40. The slots 44 are disposed and dimensioned to receive the stringlike members 37 and permit, when the gate 36 is swung open, movement of the sheet 30 relative to the holder 31. Before such movement, the color markers 41 and 43 underlie the front 32 and on such movement, the color markers are exposed to enable the correctness of the interrelated units to be easily determined.

As illustrated by FIG. 5, the backwall 39 has markers 45 which show whether or not the units have been correctly correlated when the stringlike members 37, which are of different length, are pulled taut and laid against them.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 9 and I0, a similar holder-sheet combination is shown with the holder 46 having first and second series of windows 47 and 48, respectively, in its front or cover wall 49 overlying the diagonal slideway 50 having a pivoted gate 51 closing the open end thereof. Stringlike members 52 are shown as detachably attached to the front wall 49 along the edges of the windows 47 as by hooks 53 and adapted to be threaded through the holes 54 extending through the front and backwalls of the holder 46, one hole 54 adjacent each window 48 of the second series.

The sheet 55 is shaped and dimensioned for slidable entry into the slideway 50 and is provided with a first series of indicia generally indicated at 56 with each unit thereof identified by a color marker 57. The sheet 55 is also provided with a second series of indicia 58 arranged at random relative to the first series 56. Between the two series, each sheet has a color marker 59 adjacent each unit of the second series 58 coding it to the corresponding unit of the first series 56 and a series of slots 60, one for each unit of the second series 58. It will be noted that the slots are parallel to the sides of the sheet 55 and diagonal with respect to the rows defined by the two series.

When the sheet 55 is inserted and the color markers 57 and stringlike members 52 have been threaded though the holes in the holder 46 and in the sheet 55, the sheet 55 may be moved relative to the holder 46 to the extent permitted by the slots 60, the gate then being open, thus to expose the color markers to determine whether or not the units have been correctly correlated.

The detachability of the stringlike members is important if they are the code means, the coding being by length or their color, and if other sheets 55 are to have a different color marker arrangement. As suggested by FIG. 11, the stringlike markers 61 may be attached to a strip 62 for use with a particular sheet, the strip 62 being attachable to a sheet holder, by adhesive, for example.

In the embodiment of the invention detailed in FIGS. 12-14, the holder 63 has a slideway 64 including an offset, outwardly opening end 64A and an oppositely offset inner end 648, the junctions between them being parallel diagonals 64C and 64D, respectively. Rotatable members 65 are provided and these are rotatably supported and seated in the front and backwalls 66 and 67 of the holder 63. The front wall 66 has first and second series of windows 68 and 69, respectively, overlying the slideway 64 and parallel to the sides of the holder 63. A series of stringlike members 70 are provided and one end of each is shown as attached to the front 66 of the holder adjacent an appropriate one of the windows 68 and with its other end free to be threaded through the holes 71 extending from front to back of the holder 63 between the two sets of windows but relatively close to the windows 69.

A sheet 72 has a first row or series of indicia 73 marginally of which is a series of colored markers 74, one for each unit of the first series. A second series of indicia 75 has a series of colored markers 76 marginally thereof, each marker 76 being color coded to the appropriate unit of the first series. An intermediate series of holes 77 in the form of diagonal slots is located between the two series of indicia and these are spaced and dimensioned to underlie the outer ends of the holes 71 when the sheet 72 is seated within the slideway 64. The stringlike members 70 may then be inserted through selected holes.

it will be noted that the sheet 72 is of a shape similar to that of the slideway 64 but is somewhat narrower between its oppositely offset outer and inner ends 72A and 72B, respectively. With this arrangement, the sheet 72 may be pulled from its slideway 64 with the initial withdrawing motion urging the sheet 72 to the right, as viewed in the drawings. During such initial movement the colored markers 74 and 76 are moved into a position in which they are exposed in the windows 68 and 69, respectively.

in the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIG. 15, the holder includes three channel 79, 80, and 81, adapted to receive, respectively, the sheet portions 82A, 82B, and 82C. Stringlike members 83 are attached to the holder 78 adjacent the channel 79 to be close to the appropriate units of the generally indicated series of indicia 84 on the sheet portion 82A and the holder 78 has a series of holes 85 extending therethrough close to the channel 81 as required by the spacing of the units of the generally indicated second series of indicia 86 on the sheet portion 82C.

The sheet portion 82B is shown as provided with a series of precisely arranged marks 87 to be covered when the stringlike members 83 are correctly threaded through the appropriate holes 85.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that devices in accordance with the invention are well adapted to attract and hold the interest of a child during use. The units of indicia shown in the drawings are but illustrative.

We claim:

1. An educational device comprising first ad second spaced series of related indicia arranged in units and exposed on the front of the device and supported thereby, the units of the second series being arranged at random with respect to those of the first series, a series of stringlike members for physically relating the appropriate units of the two series, one end of each member being fixed relative to the appropriate unit of the first series of indicia, a series of exposed holes through the device through each of which any of said members may be passed to be held in place thereby, one hole for each of the units of the second series of indicia and located to be associated therewith by the user, and code means with reference to which the correctness of the disposition of a member which relates units of the two series may be determined with the members thus disposed and secured relative to the units.

2. The educational device of claim 1 in which the device comprises sheet means carrying the two series of indicia and a holder for the sheet means including a surface layer overlying the sheet means having windows through which the units of the two rows are visible, the stringlike members being attached to the overlying layer, one adjacent the position of each unit of the first series of indicia and the overlying layer being also provided with member-receiving holes.

3. The educational device of claim 1 in which the code means comprises a plurality of markers exposed between the two series of indicia, one for each unit, each marker arranged to be covered only when a stringlike member is disposed to relate correctly two particular units, one for each series.

4. The educational device of claim 1 in which the code means comprise color identification of each stringlike member and color identification of each hole on the back of the device matching the color identification of the appropriate stringlike member.

5. The educational device of claim 1 in which the code means comprise color identification of each unit of the first series and the stringlike members and color identification of each hole on the back of the device matching the color identification of the appropriate stringlike member.

6. The educational device of claim 1 in which indicia on the back of the device is arranged to accord with a particular portion of each stringlike member when passed through the appropriate holes.

7. The educational device of claim 3 in which the sheet means also has holes, corresponding ones of the holder and sheet holes registering when the sheet is operatively positioned below the overlying layer of the holder, one sheet hole for each unit of the second series, and in registry with the appropriate one of the holder holes when the sheet means is positioned for use in the holder and the stringlike members are adapted to pass through the holes in the relation of the units 8. The educational device of claim 7 in which the holes in the sheet means are slots, the holder contains the sheet means for relative movement in the direction of the slots, and the code means comprise colored markers on the sheet means adjacent the units of the second series, the holder layer overlies the colored markers in one position of the sheet relative thereto but exposes them on the limited movement of the sheet means relative thereto permitted by the slots.

' 9. The education device of claim 8 and movable means carried by the holder releasably holding the sheet means against relative movement.

10. The educational device of claim 8 in which there is a colored marker adjacent each unit of the first series which the holder overlies and which are exposed on the limited movement of the sheet means relative to the holder.

11. The educational device of claim 8 in which the stringlike members are colored.

12. The educational device of claim 8 in which the stringlike members are detachably attached to the holder.

13. The educational device of claim 8 in which the stringlike members are attached to a mount in a predetermined order and the mount is detachably attached to the holder.

14. The educational device of claim 8 in which the holder provides a path along which the sheet means may be slid, and the path and the slots in the sheet means are diagonal.

15. The educational device of claim 8 in which the holder provides a path along which the sheet means may be slid, the sheet means and the path including portions at each end which extend laterally in opposite directions, corresponding surfaces of said portions coacting to guide the sheet means into and out of the holder and to releasably hold it therein.

16. The educational device of claim in which the sheet includes portions at each end extending laterally in opposite directions, the path portions of the holder include parallel diagonal guide surfaces, and slots, one adjacent each unit of the second series and approximately parallel to the guide surfaces and of a length enabling the sheet means to be moved relative to the holder to expose the colored markers.

17. The educational device of claim 2 in which the sheet means comprises a plurality of separate portions and the holder includes means detachably holding each sheet portion, one sheet portion for each series of indicia.

18. The educational device of claim 17 and a sheet portion including the code means, the holder also including means detachably holding the sheet portion provided with the code means.

19. The educational device of claim 2 in which the code means are color markings, each marking associated with an appropriate one of the units of the first series, and color markings each associated with an appropriate one of the holes and concealed while the members are being threaded through the holes.

20. The educational device of claim 19 in which the sheet means are movable relative to the holder while the members are being threaded through the holes and the color markings are then concealed but exposed on such movement of the sheet means relative to the holder.

21. The educational device of claim 1 in which the device includes first and second laterally spaced seats and each series of indicia is arranged on a sheet, each sheet removably positioned in a seat.

22. The educational device of claim 21 in which the fixed end of each member is fixed to the device between the seats but adjacent one of them. 4

23. The educational device of claim 21 in which the seats are slideways.

24. The educational device of claim 23 in which there is a slideway between the first and second slideways and the code means is on a sheet confined in the middle slideway. 

1. An educational device comprising first ad second spaced series of related indicia arranged in units and exposed on the front of the device and supported thereby, the units of the second series being arranged at random with respect to those of the first series, a series of stringlike members for physically relating the appropriate units of the two series, one end of each member being fixed relative to the appropriate unit of the first series of indicia, a series of exposed holes through the device through each of which any of said members may be passed to be held in place thereby, one hole for each of the units of the second series of indicia and located to be associated therewith by the user, and code means with reference to which the correctness of the disposition of a member which relates units of the two series may be determined with the members thus disposed and secured relative to the units.
 2. The educational device of claim 1 in which the device comprises sheet means carrying the two series of indicia and a holder for the sheet means including a surface layer overlying the sheet means having windows through which the units of the two rows are visible, the stringlike members being attached to the overlying layer, one adjacent the position of each unit of the first series of indicia and the overlying layer being also provided with member-receiving holes.
 3. The educational device of claim 1 in which the code means comprises a plurality of markers exposed between the two series of indicia, one for each unit, each marker arranged to be covered only when a stringlike member is disposed to relate correctly two particular units, one for each series.
 4. The educational device of claim 1 in which the code means comprise color identification of each stringlike member and color identification of each hole on the back of the device matching the color identification of the appropriate stringlike member.
 5. The educational device of claim 1 in which the code means comprise color identification of each unit of the first series and the stringlike members and color identification of each hole on the back of the device matching the color identification of The appropriate stringlike member.
 6. The educational device of claim 1 in which indicia on the back of the device is arranged to accord with a particular portion of each stringlike member when passed through the appropriate holes.
 7. The educational device of claim 3 in which the sheet means also has holes, corresponding ones of the holder and sheet holes registering when the sheet is operatively positioned below the overlying layer of the holder, one sheet hole for each unit of the second series, and in registry with the appropriate one of the holder holes when the sheet means is positioned for use in the holder and the stringlike members are adapted to pass through the holes in the relation of the units
 8. The educational device of claim 7 in which the holes in the sheet means are slots, the holder contains the sheet means for relative movement in the direction of the slots, and the code means comprise colored markers on the sheet means adjacent the units of the second series, the holder layer overlies the colored markers in one position of the sheet relative thereto but exposes them on the limited movement of the sheet means relative thereto permitted by the slots.
 9. The education device of claim 8 and movable means carried by the holder releasably holding the sheet means against relative movement.
 10. The educational device of claim 8 in which there is a colored marker adjacent each unit of the first series which the holder overlies and which are exposed on the limited movement of the sheet means relative to the holder.
 11. The educational device of claim 8 in which the stringlike members are colored.
 12. The educational device of claim 8 in which the stringlike members are detachably attached to the holder.
 13. The educational device of claim 8 in which the stringlike members are attached to a mount in a predetermined order and the mount is detachably attached to the holder.
 14. The educational device of claim 8 in which the holder provides a path along which the sheet means may be slid, and the path and the slots in the sheet means are diagonal.
 15. The educational device of claim 8 in which the holder provides a path along which the sheet means may be slid, the sheet means and the path including portions at each end which extend laterally in opposite directions, corresponding surfaces of said portions coacting to guide the sheet means into and out of the holder and to releasably hold it therein.
 16. The educational device of claim 15 in which the sheet includes portions at each end extending laterally in opposite directions, the path portions of the holder include parallel diagonal guide surfaces, and slots, one adjacent each unit of the second series and approximately parallel to the guide surfaces and of a length enabling the sheet means to be moved relative to the holder to expose the colored markers.
 17. The educational device of claim 2 in which the sheet means comprises a plurality of separate portions and the holder includes means detachably holding each sheet portion, one sheet portion for each series of indicia.
 18. The educational device of claim 17 and a sheet portion including the code means, the holder also including means detachably holding the sheet portion provided with the code means.
 19. The educational device of claim 2 in which the code means are color markings, each marking associated with an appropriate one of the units of the first series, and color markings each associated with an appropriate one of the holes and concealed while the members are being threaded through the holes.
 20. The educational device of claim 19 in which the sheet means are movable relative to the holder while the members are being threaded through the holes and the color markings are then concealed but exposed on such movement of the sheet means relative to the holder.
 21. The educational device of claim 1 in which the device includes first and second laterally spaced seats and each series of indicia is arranged on a sheet, each sheet removably positioned in a seat.
 22. The educational device of claim 21 in which the fixed end of each member is fixed to the device between the seats but adjacent one of them.
 23. The educational device of claim 21 in which the seats are slideways.
 24. The educational device of claim 23 in which there is a slideway between the first and second slideways and the code means is on a sheet confined in the middle slideway. 